In this poem, the word "equipment" is itself a metaphor, a form of figurative language. When Guest says, "With this equipment they all began," referring to "the greatest of men," he means that everyone, even those who go on to achieve great success, start with the same potential. Therefore, equipment is a metaphor for the potential to achieve that equality among all people. Similarly, when Guest writes that the person he is addressing has "Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes / And a brain to use," these body parts are also metaphorical. They stand for the way in which everyone has the same potential in life because people all start with the same tools.
In the second stanza, when Guest writes, "They take their food from a common plate, / And similar knives and forks they use, / With similar laces they tie their shoes," he is also referring to the sameness of people's potential. The "common plate" is a metaphor for the commonality of people's experiences, as are "similar knives and forks" and "similar laces." In other words, not only do people start with the same equipment, they also face similar situations as they go through life.
Later, Guest writes that people are their own worst enemies and get in the way of their success. He says, "You are the handicap you must face." In this line, "handicap" is a metaphor for the ways in which people put obstacles in their own paths.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
What are examples of figurative language in the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Summarize the major research findings of "Toward an experimental ecology of human development."
Based on findings of prior research, the author, Bronfenbrenner proposes that methods for natural observation research have been applied in ...
-
One way to support this thesis is to explain how these great men changed the world. Indeed, Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) was the quintes...
-
At the most basic level, thunderstorms and blizzards are specific weather phenomena that occur most frequently within particular seasonal cl...
-
x=4cost y=2sint First, take the derivative of x and y with respect to t. dx/dt=-4sint dy/dt=2cost Then, determine the first derivative dy/dx...
-
Ethno-nationalism is defined as "advocacy of or support for the political interests of a particular ethnic group, especially its nation...
-
Both boys are very charismatic and use their charisma to persuade others to follow them. The key difference of course is that Ralph uses his...
-
Find the indefinite integral $\displaystyle \int \sec^4 \left( \frac{x}{2} \right) dx$. Illustrate by graphing both the integrand and its an...
-
The most basic attitude difference between Mr. Otis and Lord Canterville is their attitude toward the ghost. The attitude difference start...
No comments:
Post a Comment